2019 Nutrition & Food Trends

With a new year comes new food trends, but thankfully many of our picks for next year involve getting back to real food. Here are the 2019 nutrition & health trends we’re putting our money on.

Ingredient lists vs nutrition facts

Ingredients reign supreme. Gone are the days of counting every calorie or prioritizing low fat, processed food over the real stuff. Move over 100 calorie packs! Thankfully, 2019 will bring with it a more mindful approach to food, one where ingredients and quality win out over the nutrition facts panel. When you focus on things like protein and healthy fats instead of calories, you’ll be satisfied & happier (plus, you’ll likely still lose weight). We’re on board with this one!

Victory for healthy fats

2019 may just be the year that your mitochondria take center stage. More and more research is emerging about the importance of these “power plants” for your cells. They convert food and oxygen into energy to help you thrive. When your mitochondria aren’t functioning optimally, your energy will decrease (hello fatigue and brain fog) and you’ll also become vulnerable to autoimmune conditions, heart disease, diabetes, and neurological disorders like Alzheimer’s. One of the best ways to optimize mitochondrial health (aside from eating a large variety of starchy and non-starchy veggies) is with healthy fats! Mitochondria love using fats (rather than carbs) for energy. Expect to see more keto-friendly and high-fat convenience products hit the market in 2019.

Bone broth and collagen are still where it’s at

Bone broth was a huge trend in 2018 and we don’t see it slowing down anytime soon. Bone broth is different than traditional stock because it involves a long simmer (24-48 hours) of bones, feet, and other often unused animal parts. We know it may sound gross, but the end result is a super nutrient-dense broth that is rich in collagen, proline, glycine, glutamine, and minerals like calcium, magnesium, and phosphorous. Bone broth is helpful for improving digestion, allergies, immune health, teeth health, and hair/skin/nails. For the benefits of collagen alone, you can also mix collagen peptides into your coffee, tea, or smoothie. Bone broth and collagen are becoming increasingly easy to access, which is pretty cool in our book! At Snap, we’re big fans of both and make it a point to source only the best, so give Fond or Vital Proteins a try next time you stop in or place a digital order.

Sustainably-raised meats & dairy

Meat is often vilified for a perceived negative environmental impact, but the issue is much more nuanced than media headlines would have you believe. Evidence is mounting that well-managed, pasture-based dairy and 100% grass-fed cows can prevent and potentially reverse climate change. The trend toward properly raised animals will only increase in 2019, with more and more companies offering easy access to pasture-raised meats and dairy. Companies like Butcher Box and US Wellness Meats offer subscriptions and mail shipping for meats. There are always local farmers raising animals the right way, too. Head to eatwild.com or use Google to find farmers in your area. You can also find grass-fed ground beef and pasture-raised eggs at Snap.

Whole30 and sugar detoxes

January is always a big month for removing sugar and resetting health habits and this coming year will be no exception. Our favorite reset (for any time of year) is the Whole30, which is a 30-day reset designed to change your health, habits, and relationship with food. There are other resets out there too, and the common thread with most of them is breaking up with sugar. While we’re all about finding balance, sometimes that can be hard when you’re eating too much sugar. Sugar consumption can send you on a blood sugar roller coaster, leading to fatigue, cravings, and energy crashes. A break from sugar often shows you how great you could feel if you ate a little less of it. And it’s usually easier to find a balance between no sugar and eating all.the.things when you take a little time off from the daily dessert. If you’re digging the idea of a Whole30 this January, we’ve got you covered with our Whole30 meal plan.

Adaptogens, medicinal mushrooms & herbs, oh my

Instagram’s wellness community has been flooding our feeds with superfood-filled smoothies, lattes, and other tonics to meet a specific functional need. Maca for sustained energy. Reishi for relaxation and better sleep. Companies like Sun Potion and Four Sigmatic have become mainstays in the specialty market, while tons of other companies are incorporating superfoods to diversify their product lines. Health-Ade Kombucha’s Super-Tea line features a number of flavors that have been boosted with ingredients like maca, spirulina, and camu camu.

Have any health trends you’d like to know more about? Let us know in the comments!

Want to rise above the food trends and eat healthy all year long? We’ve got you covered with our meal plans!